Youth’s Body Recovered From Padma After 20-Hour Search

The body of a young man, who went missing after falling into the Padma River during a boat trip in Ishwardi Upazila under Pabna district, has been recovered. A joint team comprising divers and the police retrieved the body approximately 20 hours after the initial incident.

The deceased has been identified as Rifat Hasan Roktim, the son of Zakir Hossain. He was a resident of the Dilalpur area, located within Ward No. 3 of the Pabna Municipality.

Incident Overview and Rescue Operations

According to police and local sources, the incident transpired during the Eid holidays. Rifat and several of his friends had travelled to the scenic area near the historic Hardinge Bridge in Paksey for sightseeing. They subsequently rented a boat from beneath the bridge to embark on a pleasure trip along the Padma River.

At approximately 4:30 pm on Friday (29 May), the weather deteriorated abruptly. An unexpected storm accompanied by heavy rain struck the area, causing all six passengers aboard the vessel to fall into the river.

Local residents rushed to the scene immediately following the accident. With their swift assistance, five of the passengers were successfully rescued from the water. However, Rifat remained missing, having been swept away by the river currents.

Upon receiving information about the incident, local authorities launched a search operation. Following an official request, a specialist team of divers arrived at the site from Rajshahi after dusk on Friday evening to commence an underwater search. Due to adverse conditions and nightfall, the operation had to be suspended late at night without finding the missing youth.

The search and rescue operation resumed early on Saturday morning. Following an extensive and continuous search spanning several hours, divers located and retrieved Rifat’s body from the riverbed beneath the Hardinge Bridge at around 12:30 pm on Saturday (30 May).

Official Statements and Legal Procedures

The body was subsequently transported to the Ishwardi Police Station for standard legal formalities. Ashadur Rahman, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ishwardi Police Station, officially confirmed the details of the accident and the subsequent recovery.

“The body of the missing youth has been recovered through a coordinated joint operation involving the Fire Service, the police, and the diving team,” stated Officer-in-Charge Ashadur Rahman. “The body has been brought to the police station, and the process of handing it over to the family is currently underway.”